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157 Among German Colonists.
community and is used for the guarantee described above.
All buildings, trees planted, and improvements generally made
on a farm by the occupier rank as private property, which is
inherited by his heirs, who must be paid a just value by the
new occupant of the farm. In this inheritance women share
equally with men, as they have an equal responsibility for the
Government taxes.
It was one of the privileges granted to the Mennonites, when
they first arrived in 1789, that no one should be allowed to open
liquor shops within their borders. This practice is maintained,
and here at least the advocates of Prohibition may find an
instance of its success. The police authorities have light work
so far as the Mennonites are concerned, even with the
manufactured crimes so dear to the hearts of Russian officials.
Here are some figures giving the complete list of misdemeanours
and crimes as recorded in police archives, in one case for a
population of 12,121 during thirty-seven years, in the other
in a population of 6,000 during ten years :—
37 YEARS. 10 YEARS.
Disobedience and impertinence ... ... 6 —
Abetting escape of prisoners ... ... 2 —
Disobedience to parents ... ... ... 11 —
Calumny, slander, and untrue reports ... 10 1
Adultery ... ... ... ... ... 41 24
Neglect in quenching fires ... ... ... 1 —-
Theft and roguery ... ... ... ... 9 5
Neglect of agriculture ... ... ... 16 4
Quarrelling and strife ... ... ... 4 1
Drunkenness ... ... ... ... ... 1 7
Offences against the faith ... ... ... — 2
Keeping a tavern ... ... ... ... 5 —
Non-fulfilment of official orders ............8 17
Non-fulfilment of agreements ... ... 1 1
Non-payment of bills and loans ... ... 1 1
It will be seen that many of these would disappear altogether
from English police-lists, and others would be transferred to
the civil branch of the law. But did all these figures represent
real crimes it would be a wonderful record, considering the
number of years and the population. It is a testimony as to the
efficacy of good economic conditions in the reduction of crime
that cannot be gainsaid, for other communities have had as much
religious faith as the Mennonites, but cannot show so clear a
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